A man who witnessed the 'Dark Knight' shooting told
TV station KCNC he thinks someone let James
Holmes inside the emergency exit once the movie
started, CNN reports.

Authorities believe that Holmes let himself in.

Here's what the witness, Corbin Dates, said:

"As I was sitting down to get my seat, I noticed that a
person came up to the front row, the front right, sat down, and
as credits were going, it looked like he got a phone call.
He went out toward the emergency exit doorway, which I
thought was unusual to take a phone call. And it seemed like he
probably pried it open, or probably did not let it latch all the
way. As soon as the movie started, somebody came in, all
black, gas mask, armor, and threw a gas can into the audience,
and it went off, and then there were gunshots that took
place."

Dates reiterated
his accountto NBC News, adding that the person
seemed to be "signaling somebody" or "looking for somebody to
come his way".

A federal law enforcement official previously
told AP that authorities believe
Holmes bought a ticket to the midnight showing and went into
the theater as part of the crowd, then left and propped open the
emergency door before putting on his ballistic gear and returning
to begin shooting.